16 Ways To Protect Your Hair From The Summer Sun

“Summer means happy times and good sunshine. It means going to the beach, going to Disneyland, having fun”- Brian Wilson.

The American musician has described summer fun to a T. Summer means vacations and the outdoors after months of spending time cooped inside the house. In short, summer is the best time of our lives!

We all know how the hot summer sun is harmful to our skin, and we take due precautions for it. But have you ever given a thought about the effects that sun has on hair ??? The sun can wreak equal havoc with our hair as with our skin.

Effects Of The Summer Sun On Your Hair

You may have healthy, bouncy hair all year around, but come summer and your hair turns limp and lifeless.There are no signs of that bounce anymore, is there? This happens because the high humidity content in the atmosphere settles on your hair and weighs it down, the result limp hair.

The hot summer sun doesn’t show any mercy and dries out everything in its way, hair included. Imagine subjecting your hair to straightening, curling or other treatments that involve heat at such a time. Get the picture?

Summers can be harsh on your scalp too, causing dryness and sunburn. It is commonly believed that hair protects the scalp, but that is not the case. Dry scalp brings its own set of problems and may end up damaging your hair roots.

Summer is the time when your hair may feel dry, and its moisture ripped off. So what do you end up doing? Over conditioning and over treating. Big mistake.

However tempting it may be, washing your hair every day is NOT an option. Similarly, not washing hair which is sweaty for a long time is a sure shot way to increased hair fall.

Hair tends to get burnt in the hot sun and can turn brownish. Colored hair too tends to fade if you stay outdoors too long.

Do find your hair to be constantly feeling greasy??? This is because of excessive sweat and maybe even due to the sunscreen near your hairline.

See what a nightmare the summer effect for hair can be? Hence, it is important to avoid over sun exposure and take adequate measures to protect hair while stepping outdoors

How To Protect Hair In Summer?

Our hair gets harmed in many different ways during summers – overexposure to sun’s harmful rays, sweat, and humidity and of course, spending too much time in a swimming pool AKA chlorinated water. While all of these are reasons enough to lead to a bad hair day and cause long-term damage, a little pre-emptive care is all your hair needs to stay beautiful!

While you reach out for all products that work wonders on your hair, remember to check out a few things first:

1. Avoid Too Many Cosmetics

Summers already dries your hair out and causes damage to them. So make sure you go easy on any chemical hair treatments during this period. Avoid too much coloring, whether at the spa or home.

If you want to color your hair or change the color during summer, try and do it a month or two before the sun hits hard.

2. Love Your Conditioner

Image: Thinkstock

While the sun is drying out your hair, make sure you help restore some moisture and life in it by using a rinse-out conditioner. Get one that suits your hair type and texture. If you are going for a swim, remember to put on a leave-in conditioner on your hair and wear a swimming cap.

3. Shampoo With Care

Image: Thinkstock

While you feel like shampooing your hair every day, doing so will cause more harm than good. Too much shampoo can dry up your scalp and hair even more.

If you tend to sweat more on the scalp and if your hair gets greasy and sweaty easily, go for a mild shampoo that is especially good for summers.

Shampoo only on the scalp, not the hair, and as you wash your hair, the suds will rinse down, cleaning up your hair too. Putting shampoo separately on your hair and hair tips will dry them out.

4. Swimming

Image: Thinkstock

During summer, you love to hit the pool, right? If you’re going swimming, remember DO NOT shampoo before you go for a swim, as this will rob your hair of all protective oils and will make it extra vulnerable to the chemicals and salt in the water.

Once you’re out of the pool and have taken a quick shower, use a shampoo that contains ethylene tetra-acetic acid. This will remove any harmful effects of chlorine that the water may have.

5. Avoid Heat

Image: Thinkstock

The sun is already putting too much heat on your hair, so avoid the additional heat as much as you can. Go slow on the blow dryer, and if required, wash your hair half an hour earlier so that they get ample time to air-dry. Avoid using the styling iron and curlers and let them be as natural as they can be.

6. Trim Them

Image: Thinkstock

The tips of your hair take a lot of beating during the summer. This is when you see split ends and dry tips, and this is neither healthy for your hair, nor do they look good. Summer is the ideal time to give yourself a new haircut, but if you don’t want to shorten your hair, opt for a small trim that will take care of the ends and bring back life to your hair.

7. Care For Your Color

Image: Thinkstock

If you have recently colored your hair or have colored hair, you would want to take extra care of them in the summers. Hair sustains maximum damage with chemical treatments leading to color fading and excessive hair dryness.

While selecting hair care products, go for ones that are specially made for colored or treated hair. If you have recently colored your hair, try going out less often in the sun, especially when it’s at its peak. If you need to, try covering your hair with a hat or a scarf.

8. Sun Protection

Image: Thinkstock

The best way to screen hair from the scorching sun is wearing a scarf. If the scarf is not to your liking, then make sure you use a leave-in conditioner with sunscreens. If you have too much work outdoors and are in the sun often, opt for hair products that have a good amount of SPF in them. You may also want to go for a special hair mask or sunscreen product that is made for your hair. However make sure you wash your hair once you are home.

9. Control Frizz

Image: Thinkstock

The summer heat makes your hair extra dry, making it frizzy. Try and control your hair from becoming too frizzy by tying it up. Use the hot months to show off your hair in different styles, from braids to ponytails to updos, knots, and buns. Not only does it keep your hair protected from frizz, but it also reduces the sweating.

10. Lots Of Fluids

Image: Thinkstock

While you may be doing all of the above to protect your hair from the sun, if you’re not drinking enough water, you’re not going to achieve anything. Your hair and your skin will benefit immensely from the amount of water and extra fluids that you have. So opt for cooling liquids that will help you keep your hair healthy and hydrated. Include as many fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet as you can. This is an essential hair care tip for summer.

11. Co-Wash

Agreed hair gets dirtier in summers, and regular cleansing is a must. But shampoo is not the only option for hair wash. Co-wash your hair which means conditioner-washing is the ideal summer care for hair. Just wet your hair, use a replenishing conditioner for 2 minutes and rinse off. Yes, co-washing hair daily does cleanse to a major extent and limits shampooing for 3-4 days.

12. Dry Wash

Oily Hair and daily co-wash is making hair greasy, and you feel shampoo is a must? Then shift to Dry-shampoos. So many dry shampoos are available in the market. One can even sprinkle some baby talc and comb it out. It’s a handy dry-shampoo. This is one of the simplest hair care tips for summer.

13. Deep Conditioning Treatments

Summers are a harsh time, and summer hair care tips are important. The hair tends to get drier, thinner and more brittle and if you expose your hair to the sun, you need to attend to it more regularly. Thus, deep conditioning treatments are a must and would keep your hair hydrated and nourished.

15. Right Hair Products

Look out for products with the tags Replenishing, Hydrating and Moisturizing. Avoid any styling product that has formaldehyde(alcohol) and the products that come with the tags Volumizing or Bouncy. These dry the hair more so strictly avoidable.

5. Eggs

Eggs are not only healthy to eat, but they also help repair hair damage. Use egg whites for oily hair, yolks for dry hair and the whole thing for normal hair. Remember to wash it with lukewarm water only or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in your hair

7. Strawberries

Try this hair mask which is good enough to eat. Mash 10 fresh strawberries and add a tbsp of mayonnaise to make a smooth paste. Leave on for 20 minutes. The seeds have exfoliating properties while the acids and vitamins in the berry help to restore the hair!

Hair damaged due to the sun can be a little difficult to maintain, but it is not impossible. Don’t expect results in a day or two. Continue with the right sun damaged hair remedy that best suits you and you’ll soon see results.

Now you are equipped to protect your hair from damage during the summers. Go out and have some fun!